Collapsible cardboard counter basket



April 19, 1938. J. v. HORR Y 2,114,492

I COLLAPSIBLE CARDBOARD COUNTER BASKET Filed June 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 19, 1938. J. v. HORR 2,114,492

COLLAPSIBLE CARDBOARD COUNTER BASKET Filed June 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Z8 26 John V.' Hor'r Patented Apr. 19, 1938 COLLAPSIBLE CARDBOARD COUNTER BASKET John V. Horr, Hastings on Hudson, N. Y., assignor te Einson-Freeman Co., Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 26, 1937, Serial No. 150,535

4 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to collapsible cardboard devices, and has particular reference to a counter basket or the like.

A general object of the invention is to provide a simple yet staunch collapsible counter basket composed of a minimum number of fiat cardboard elements or thelike, inexpensive to manufacture, and adapted to be collapsed and set up with enhanced facility.

While I have herein illustrated and shall hereinafter describe the invention in connection with a basket of the type which is designed to be used by storekeepers on counters or the like, to accommodate merchandise such as packages or cans, nevertheless it will be understood that the broader phases of my invention are applicable to baskets or containers intended for analogous purposes.

One of the features of my invention lies in providing a collapsible device which is composed of only two blanks of flat cardboard or its equivalent.

Another feature of the invention lies in a construction which requires only two pasting operations to secure the two cardboard blanks together during the manufacture of the basket.

A third feature of the invention lies in the special and novel construction of the bottom wall of the basket, whereby the same is of reinforced and unusually strong character.

A further feature ofthe invention lies in connecting and arranging the parts in such a way that the device may be collapsed in substantially fiat condition, whereby it may be easily stored, packed, and shipped; the device being at the same time readily set up into a position where it is ready for use, without requiring the user to perform any cumbersome or tedious manipulations relating to the interengaging of flaps or the like.

I achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a perspective view of a collapsible cardboard counter basket of the present character in set-up condition;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the blanks entering into the present construction;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the other blank entering into the present construction;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure l,.showing the device in partially collapsed condition;

' Figure 6 is a cross-sectional plan View of the device when set up;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6, showing a slight modification; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken sub 5 stantially along the line 88 of Figure 5, showing the manner in which the device is collapsible.

The present device is composed solely of the two blanks illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. These blanks are preferably of cardboard or similar bendable sheet material. The blank of Figure 3 is cut out and scored to define three hingedly connected panels lb, 1 l, and I2, the medial panel being extended upwardly to form a display portion 3. The lines l4 and I5 designate the fold lines along which the panels are hinged, and it will be observed that these hinged lines pref erably converge downwardly.

At the ends of the panels l0 and I2 extensions H5 and H are provided, adapted to be used for gluing purposes.

Hinged to the bottom edge It of the panel H is an L-shaped panel l9 having a relatively wide portion near the hinge line it and a relatively narrow portion 20. In Figure 3, the nar- 25 row portion 2 is disposed toward the right, and the length of this portion is made substantially equal to the desired ultimate depth, from front to back, of the basket.

Hinged to the panel l9 along the oblique line 2! is the small flap 22 whose purpose will be presently described. Hinged to the longer portion of the panel l9, along the line 23, is the triangular panel 24.

The blank of Figure 4 is, generically, of similar construction, comprising the three hingedly connected panels 25, 26, and 21. The lines 28 and 29 converge upwardly in Figure 4 and represent the .lines along which the panels are hinged. 40

At the free ends of the panels 25 and 2? are the extension flaps 3i and 3! adapted to cooperate ultimately with the flaps l5 and ll of Figure 3 to hold the two blanks together.

Hinged to the inner edge 32 of the medial panel 26 is the L-shaped panel 33 having the narrow portion 34, the hinged triangular flap 35. and the relatively small flap 36. The flap 3&3 is hinged along the oblique line 31, and the triangular panel 35 is hinged along the line 38. It will be observed that the narrow portion 34 is directed toward the left in Figure l.

In manufacturing the device, the blanks of Figures 3 and 4 are first out out, shaped, and scored in the manner described. The flaps I6 and I! are then bent rearwardly, as shown most clearly in Figures 1, 5, and 6, and they are adhesively secured to the flaps 30 and 3!, respectively. During this assembly, the L-shaped panels 19 and 33 are interlocked or interengaged as shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 6, whereby the edges 39 and 40 are brought into substantial alignment. The resultant structure comprises a peripheral wall comprising hingedly connected panels, six in number, these panels being those hereto-fore referred to by the reference numerals ill, ll, i2, 25, 26, and 21. The wall panels ill, l i, and it constitute a rear portion, and the panels 25, 26, and 27 constitute a front portion, of the peripheral wall. The panel I is ultimately arranged in hingedly connected relation to the panel 25, the hinge line being designated by the reference numeral H. Similarly, the pane-l I2 is ultimately in hinged relation to the panel 2?, along the hinge line 42.

It is to be especially noted that the narrowed portions 2i? and 34 of the interlocking L-shaped panels are disposed on the upper or interior side of. the basket. This permits the basket to be collapsed and set up by pushing the bottom wall of the basket upwardly, as shown in Figure 5.

When the box is completely collapsed, the panels 25, 26, and 2"! are disposed in a substantially single plane, and are brought into superposition with respect to the panels Hi, i I and I2, similarly disposed in substantially a single plane. In between are the panels l9 and 33, also in superposed relationship. The entire device is thus substantially flat and may be easily stacked, shipped, or stored in this condition. It is to be noted that neither of Figures 5 and 8 shows the device in completely collapsed condition, but anyone skilled in the art will readily appreciate the manner in which the partial collapsing, indicated in Figures 5 and 8, may be rendered complete to bring the parts into the flat relationship hereinbefore mentioned.

When the collapsed basket reaches its place of use, it may be opened up into the position of Figures 1 and 2 by merely withdrawing the front wall panel 25 from the rear wall panel I i, and pressing downwardly upon the L-shaped panels 19 and 33. No further manipulations are necessary to bring the basket into fully set-up condition.

The bottom wall is of uniquely reinforced and strong character. The triangular panels 2 2 and 35 are so shaped that they bear lightly against the side wall panels l2, 2?, ill, and 25; and the triangular panels 2d and 35 assume an outwardly upward inclination when the device is set up. This imparts to the score lines 23 and 38 a reinforcing ability which helps to brace the entire structure and to rigidify the bottom wall.

When the device is set up, the small flaps 22 and 36 turn inwardly, bearing against the wall panels Ill and 2?, respectively, these small flaps serving to impart a more workmanlikefinish to the structure. They are concealed beneath the triangular panels 35 and 25, respectively, when the device is used.

The unusually rugged character of the basket will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The bottom wall consists of two plies which, though not physically connected by hinging or otherwise, are nevertheless firmly interlocked by virtue of their L-shaped construction. A slight upward pressure on the bottom results in expeditiously collapsing the device, as shown in Figure 5. On the other hand, it would require an inordinate amount of downward pressure on the bottom to displace the bottom wall.

In Figure 7 I have illustrated a slight modification in which the L-shaped bottom wall panel 33' has a small slot 43 at the inner end of the narrowed portion 34'. The L-shaped panel 19' has a similar slot 44 at the inner end of the narrowed portion 20'. The slots 43 and 44 interengage or interlock with each other, and this serves further to strengther the bottom of the basket, without in the least impairing the ease with which the basket may be manufactured, set up, or collapsed.

The other parts of Figure 7 are identical with the parts hereinbefore described, and the same reference numerals are, therefore, applied thereto.

In the illustrated embodiment, the parts are so shaped that the peripheral wall becomes gradually greater in height as it approaches the medial rear panel I I which serves as a display panel. It will be understood that this feature is not necessarily present. Also, the manner in which the two blanks of Figures 3 and 4 are adhesively secured together is something which may be varied to suit differing requirements.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a peripheral wall comprising six hingedly connected panels, the basket being collapsible by superposing the front group of three upon the rear group of three, and a bottom wall comprising a pair of interlocked L-shaped panels one of which is hinged to the bottom edge of the front wall panel, the other of which is hinged to the bottom edge of the rear wall panel, each of said L-shaped panels carrying a lateral triangular panel adapted to bear against the side Wall panels when the basket is set up and extending from the front to the rear of the basket.

2. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a peripheral wall comprising six hingedly connected panels, the basket being collapsible by superposing the front group of three upon the rear group of three, and a bottom wall comprising a pair of interlocked L-shaped panels one of which is hinged to the bottom edge of the front wall panel, the other of which is hinged to the bottom edge of the rear wall panel, each of said L-shaped panels carrying a lateral triangular panel adapted to bear against the side wall panels when the basket is set up, each of said triangular panels being hinged along its entire length to its corresponding L-shaped panel and being of a size which disposes the triangular panel in an outward, upward inclination each running from the front to the rear of the basket when the basket is set up.

3. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a peripheral wall comprising six hingedly connected panels, the basket being collapsible by superposing the front group of three upon the rear group of three, and a bottom wall comprising a pair of interlocked L-shaped panels one of which is hinged to the bottom edge of the front wall panel, the other of which is hinged to the bottom edge of the rear wall panel, the front group of three wall panels and the L-shaped panel hinged thereto being formed of an integral blank, the rear group of three wall panels and the L-shaped panel hinged thereto being formed of a second integral blank, and each L-shaped panel having hinged thereto along one side a triangular panel extending from the front to the rear of the basket when it is open, and on its other side a flap extending along the length of the adjacent lateral peripheral panel.

JOHN V. KORE. 

